


As Our Hands Overlap

by BlixaLooksCarsick



Category: Persona 5, Shin Megami Tensei Series
Genre: Birthday Present, Bittersweet, Christmas, F/M, Persona 5 Scramble, Post Game, Slow Burn, Story across several months, memento - Freeform, persona 5 - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-08
Updated: 2020-10-08
Packaged: 2021-03-08 04:46:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,383
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26889856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/BlixaLooksCarsick/pseuds/BlixaLooksCarsick
Summary: A wristwatch is not always just a wristwatch. It can be witness to a heart changing across the times, or a memento of past dreams and memories. And some other times, it can be a promise to last forever.
Relationships: Amamiya Ren & Niijima Makoto, Kurusu Akira/Niijima Makoto, Niijima Makoto/Persona 5 Protagonist
Kudos: 38
Collections: ShuMako Mini Bang





	As Our Hands Overlap

**Author's Note:**

> It is my great joy and privilege to announce the beginning to this Mini Bang, themed around a pair I'll love forever. 
> 
> I stumble a lot on these introductions, so I'll let the magnificent work of my peers and I speak by itself.
> 
> My partner in this collab came up with the original idea (https://archiveofourown.org/users/HamToasT) and she also made some amazing art to go with. I merely fleshed out the idea into this story. Hope you enjoy!
> 
> Check out HamToast's lovely artwork here: https://twitter.com/speedfuckracer/status/1314226281081384960

Every getaway was an accomplishment for the Phantom Thieves of Hearts. No matter the amazing abilities at their disposal in the Metaverse, escaping a crumbling world was no small feat in itself. They made it past the proverbial charmed third after another successful heist, and now they survived the haunted fourth, after a close shave with an early demise. But escaping a massive pyramid crumbling into the sandy abyss was not the only takeaway. 

Everything about this heist turned out an intensely emotional affair. Futaba Sakura, a girl entombed in self-isolation, had been made to believe herself responsible for her mother’s death years ago. The misplaced guilt and despair manifested into a Palace, hounded by a corrupted cognition of her mother, Wakaba Isshiki. By severing ties with that falsehood, Futaba Sakura awakened to a Persona of her own, and even aided them in the showdown. Nobody expected such a harrowing scenario, or such a spontaneous awakening. It was almost too easy to forget the Medjed threat remained.

As Queen drove the Monamobile beyond the reach of the world ending, concern over Futaba hung heavy inside the vehicle. That uncertainty was enough to cloud Joker’s perception to his own feelings about the team’s advisor. Akira and Makoto grew comfortable around each other since she joined the group, but they seemed to become closer as of late. Outside of school, and in the Metaverse, their respective roles felt like an extension of each other. His respect and admiration for her grew steadily. And something wild and furious awoke in him whenever she was in harm’s way. All that aside, he simply thought and dreamed of her a lot. 

However, one small incident derailed his entire train of thought on the return to the real world. It took him a moment to notice it, as the Phantom Thieves stood outside Sojiro’s house. But once it dawned on him, nothing else occupied his thoughts. The exhaustion, Futaba’s safety, Makoto – everything was light as air. The shattered screen on his watch, and the feeling of loose parts within grounded him in reality. He was no watchmaker, but he knew – the watch his parents gave him on his 15th birthday was beyond repair.

Though unaware of it, this realisation was written all over his face. And Makoto noticed it. She felt compelled to say something, but her hesitation was just an instant too long. 

“We should go and check on Futaba.” Ann said, to which nobody could argue.

Whatever troubled Akira would have to wait.

[ ]

The following weeks felt like a vise, slowly but surely coiling tighter around the Phantom Thieves. The hacker group known as Medjed still dangled their “cleanse” over their heads, with the net maverick Alibaba as their only hope. However Alibaba’s true identity was none other than Futaba herself, and she was now in a long slumber, unable to aid the Phantom Thieves against Medjed. But it was only a matter of time till she woke up, if her father and Dr. Takemi’s input was anything to go by. 

All the Phantom Thieves could do was wait and hope for the best. In the meantime, they each visited Futaba to check up on her almost every day. Sometimes, it was Akira and Makoto who took watching duties, discreetly taking solace in each other’s company.

Makoto’s first visit to the Sakura residence had been ominous, but the place felt quite welcoming now. She started to wonder if Akira’s presence had anything to do with that. His mood that day was gentle and warm; nothing quite outside the norm, but a little different in a way she could not quite place. She did have a possible clue – and this time, she would not hesitate.

“Hey.” Makoto said. “I’ve been meaning to ask you. Didn’t you usually wear a wristwatch?”

“Um, yeah.” He smiled, though his expression looked a little forced to her. “A very specific thing to notice there.”

“Maybe. I do think it’s very practical to have one, though. You can’t always rely on your phone, you know.”

“True. I probably should get a new one. Just haven’t had the time, really.”

“I see.” Makoto felt unsure. There was something in particular he was not telling her. The topic affected him, but she did not even know how to approach it.

But before she could chide herself for her perceived inadequacy, he spoke further.

“Actually, I’ve had plenty of time. I’m just not sure I want to replace it.”

“It broke when we returned from Futaba’s Palace, didn’t it?”

“You noticed, huh?” His smile looked a little sad. “It was a birthday present from my parents, from when I turned 15. It’s just a trinket, really. Wouldn’t want to bother you with details.”

“Please do.” Makoto was not thinking when her hand instinctively moved over to his. And she did not pull away when she realised her palm lay warm over his knuckles. Embarrassment was the least of her concerns. All she cared about in that moment was hearing what he had to say.

“My father’s a fisherman. He’s away a lot of the time, even when I was little. But whenever he’s around, he makes sure it will be worth the occasion. There were a few missed birthdays here and there, but I was okay with it. It’s just the way things are, I guess. Anyway, he made it in time for my fifteenth birthday, and brought me this wristwatch he purchased from a friend abroad. It was not the watch itself, but how he gave it to me that felt… special. It was as if he tried to make up for all those missed birthdays.”

“He sounds like a good man.” Makoto smiled, imagining his father as an older, more rugged Akira out at sea.

“A piece of work, to be honest.” Akira chuckled. “But you’re right, he’s not a bad guy. Fast forward to my arrest, and he started giving me the cold shoulder. Only my mum was talking to me at all. I know at that time, I wasn’t living dangerously like we do now, but it felt like the worst moment in my life. Like my father no longer saw me as his son. His silence was even worse than the neighbours talking behind my back.”

“Akira…”

“Don’t worry. It gets a little better. Just before I hop on the bus for Tokyo, my dad stops me and puts the watch on my wrist. He doesn’t say a thing to me, but he didn’t really need to. I could be wrong, but it felt to me like a reminder, that even if I was now a delinquent, my parents still love me.”

“How couldn’t they? They do have a wonderful son.” Makoto suspected her words landed a little intimately, though she knew those words true.

“Thank you. But to be honest, all things said and done… that reminder hurts a little sometimes. And when I really think of it, the idea of my birthday started to feel… wrong. A little cursed. I guess it’s somewhat fitting my watch broke. I don’t regret what got me arrested, but I can’t deny there’s been a rift between my parents and I, because of what I did. Anyway, it’s probably all in my head. Things really may not be so bad.”

Makoto weighed his words, branding them onto her mind and heart. It was obvious to her that Akira kept his vulnerabilities hidden from mostly everyone, even if he was hurting all the same. It did not have to be this way. For he entrusted her with something so personal, she wished to help him mend that pain. Makoto promised to herself that she would find a way, no matter what.

“I never told this to anyone, so I count myself lucky that you were the one to know. Thanks for hearing me out, Makoto.”

[ ]

Like the passing of night to day, the uneasy times under Medjed’s threats passed them by without a hitch. The hacking group met defeat in one fell swoop from Alibaba. Thus the Phantom Thieves jotted down one more victory, having gained a new friend and ally in Futaba Sakura. And so, as means of celebration and welcome to their new comrade, they planned a little getaway to the beach. This occasion would mark the first normal thing they did all summer, and they were resolute to make it count. 

Preparations were in order, all the more so as Futaba would be joining them for her first outing in years. Makoto and Ann took the girl on a shopping trip, with the latter especially enthusiastic about what swimsuits to pick. The team’s advisor delegated the task to Ann while she focused on another, more practical kind of shopping. Even if it would earn her the nickname of ‘Team Mum’, Makoto would rather be safe than sorry when it came to sunscreen and towels. But despite her meticulousness, a little shine on the corner of the eye stole her attention. 

Not far from where she stood, Makoto spied a rack with dozens of wristwatches for sale at the store’s gift section. The young woman bit her lip in reluctant gesture, remembering what Akira told her weeks ago, about his broken watch and the history behind it. She never wanted to tarry for long when it came to tasks, but temptation tugged incessantly at her sleeves. After a few seconds, she convinced herself that Ann would likely take her time when picking out swimsuits, especially with a first timer in tow. 

That sufficed for Makoto to give in to her curiosity. Judging by the price and look of the watches in front, they were likely meant as quick, mindless purchases; little add-ons to avoid digging for change at the cashier. They varied in colour and shape. She could easily see Ryuji or Ann wearing one for the fun of it, but none of them quite spelled Akira to Makoto. Fortunately, there were more behind that first layer, varying further in design and price range. Some looked tackier than she would have believed, while others looked ill-fitting in a store like this.

But almost all the way in the back, she spotted one dark brown leather stripe with a circular pewter-like screen. Dark face with white hands and numbers. It was a smart, sharp design but not too ostentatious. It had Akira written all over it, and she doubted not a moment to get it. Against her usual habit, she checked the price last and found it quite affordable, though she would have gladly paid double for it. Once purchased, Makoto hid the wristwatch in her pocket, already grinning to herself in expectation for September 15, Akira’s birthday.

But though she had that day to look forward to, there was something else on her mind. It drew closer by the minute, yet remained sufficiently far away for her to bounce her foot whenever she thought nobody was looking. Both Ann and Futaba noticed it earlier but thought little of it. Maybe Makoto was just not used to leisure shopping, Ann thought. Perhaps she was just strangely eager, for some reason. Ann already had her suspicions, but even those fanciful musings fell short of the real thing.

Elsewhere, Akira walked with a particular spring in his step. Morgana was the only one privy to the reason, and he chose to keep it to himself. The feline could not accompany them to the beach, but he hoped Akira would be able to successfully make his stealthy retreat from the group. It would be rude to keep Makoto waiting under the shade of some secluded awning. 

[ ]

September 15

Akira always loved autumn. To him, it was the time of the year when the world renewed its splendour, and when his thoughts wandered poetical. One of his fondest memories from the country was standing with the fishmongers at the pier, awaiting the arrival of the fishers’ boat. Soon after, under the fiery colours in the sky, his father came home to stay the rest of year. That evening stayed with Akira ever since. But now, this love was turned on its head due to a rift within the Phantom Thieves. And just thinking of autumn now filled him with a sense of bitter departure. 

Morgana has left. And Akira’s usual cool head was now clouded with a grim sense of fate. The circle was now complete, as his friend’s leave occurred on the very same day he has come to dread: his birthday. The young man’s thoughts immediately wandered off to that broken watch, and the feeling that he has not heard from his parents in a while. The scene in his mindscape was turned colourless, and he stood now at that same pier, seeing the boat leaving and not knowing if it would ever come back.

All things considered, his friends saw nothing out of the ordinary. He looked well composed and serene, unlike the fiery pride of both Morgana and Ryuji, which had led to this schism. But by now, Makoto knew him well enough to spot the shadows nobody else saw. Despite appearances, something truly was wrong with Akira. The wristwatch she had kept for this day suddenly became a cold reminder of what he confided in her. 

She simply could not give this to him - not on this day turned cursed. No matter the heartache, the Phantom Thieves had urgent priorities; to come back together as before, and to help Haru. Celebration could wait. For now, the most she could do for Akira was stand ready alongside him, primed for the challenges ahead. 

After the disastrous attempt at a reunion in Mementos, Makoto pulled him aside, far from prying eyes. She did not think herself able to come up with the right words to soothe his troubles. So her only choice was hoping her instincts aimed true as she spoke. 

“Akira. We’ll get through this, through all of it.”

“Makoto, I…”

Against her usual way, she followed on an impulse. It was a thing she has wanted for a while, but not quite like this. However he interpreted it, Makoto only hoped it did him well. The young woman held him close and kissed him gently on the forehead. 

“I promise you.” She said, fully meaning every syllable. The team’s lieutenant secretly vowed to see this tremulous saga to a bright end. To protect him against all danger, and any ‘curse’ that would loom over his heart. The wristwatch in her pocket became a memento in itself. Its weight a material expression of her promise. In a way, this brown stripe with pewter centre started to feel like part of herself.

[ ]

Makoto’s line of thinking was grounded on logic, yet nothing made sense. The situation required her to maintain a calm temper, yet she could not settle down for a moment. Pacing about the room, she looked at the time on her wall clock. Midnight. It felt much too early for all the things they did that night. She knew it was long past her bedtime, and her body desperately needed rest. But turning in seemed futile as these horrible thoughts continued to haunt her. They changed her sister’s heart without needing to steal her Treasure, yet Makoto feared for Sae. They took every single precaution, yet she still felt like she just sent Akira to his death.

Haru did her best to reassure the team’s lieutenant, having just tied a previously unaccounted loose end. There was something curious about what she said; an implication of sorts. With nobody around except an unconscious, restrained cognitive Goro Akechi, Haru felt confident to speak freely. All of the Phantom Thieves understood what Makoto was feeling about her sister. But only Haru seemed to perceive the whole picture. At that moment, her words sounded like truth with no contest. Undeniable, almost fate-like. The advisor believed it. 

“He’ll be okay, Makoto.”

But come the solitude of her room, those words vanished from Makoto’s memory. Panic began setting over her soul, whispering a terrible fate in her ear, which sounded more likely by the minute. It pressed on her chest, squeezing out her breath. It felt like she was drowning. And now, desperate for some certainty of Akira’s safety, she held the wristwatch on her hand like it was a lifeline. A piece of themselves, a memento of shared wishes and history to keep themselves alive. 

But as her eyesight grew blurry, the wristwatch slipped from her grasp, falling somewhere in her room she could not see. Makoto did not notice a thing. That is how it truly began, the longest night of her life. A darkness more cruel than anything she experienced before. A nightmare awake. It was a miracle that she made it through, and a testament of her fortitude that she managed to play the honour student the following day.

Then, she heard it in the apathetic tone of a radio anchor. The news that the leader of the infamous Phantom Thieves has committed suicide while in custody. Even now, this was no indication of success or failure, but the shock still froze her within. Somehow she made it to the restroom without attracting too many gazes. In this relative privacy, the young woman let the most terrible prospect wash over her like a tidal wave. 

Her phone rang shortly after. It was Sae, calling to give her a message. An incalculable worth contained in a handful of words.

“Makoto… He’s alive.”

The young woman broke down in tearful catharsis. At the end, her first concrete thought was to finally give Akira the wristwatch as a welcoming gift into the land of the living. But she no longer remembered where she put it at all. 

[ ]

It seemingly showed up, no different than how it seemingly vanished. By the latter half of December, the wristwatch Makoto meant as a birthday present for Akira was more suitable as a Christmas present. Nothing would keep her from giving it this time. Little did she know on the morning she found the watch under her bed, this resolve would persevere through the mundane and the extraordinary. Neither defeat by the broken will of the masses, nor ceasing to be. Not even the whim of an angry God, bent on absolute control over mankind.

The moment finally came on Christmas Eve. Makoto was always happy to see Akira, but this moment unfolded with a slightly surreal feeling. It felt like she had seen a strange saga to its end. Then again, the time spent together was never quite as ordinary. And in some capacity or another, this wristwatch had been her companion through times both dark and joyous, just like Akira himself. To see this memento finally reach its destination was something she could not fully comprehend or express, not even to herself.

“Akira. I must tell you, I actually hoped to give this to you on your birthday.” Makoto cradled the brown stripe in her hands, unsure of how to even present the gift to him. A nagging sensation whispered in her ear, as if warning against some other unforeseen incident. This time, she would take no chances.

Rather than just give it, Makoto locked the watch around his wrist herself. She hoped she was not coming off too strong or commanding, but Akira did not mind. Her gesture got a vaguely juvenile smile of him, as echoes of her awakening as Queen filled his head. In those days, she struck him as mighty and unyielding, but he soon came to find that same strength could convey tenderness so. 

The band around his wrist was neither too tight nor too loose. It fit him perfectly, in more ways than one.

“My birthday… That day feels so long ago now. So much has happened since, hasn’t it?” Akira was able to see his own reflection on the watch’s dark surface. The hour hand stayed on his face, signalling 8 PM; the minute hand caught up just as soon as Makoto’s face showed on the dark mirror. 

“So much, yes.” She leaned her head on his shoulder, resisting the urge to pour her heart out. Some pains lingered on, like the fear of almost having lost him, and the fear distance may yet tear them apart. Despite all they went through – adversities both ordinary and uncanny – letting go was the hardest thing. 

8:40 PM. Akira and Makoto spent the while in silence. Each held a monstrous bulwark of fear and sadness back only to preserve the sacred quiet of this moment together. 

_Why must I go, turn myself in? Be a prisoner again?_

She felt warm against him. 

_We won. We won, and still…_

Her hand held him gentle but firm.

_I don’t wanna leave my friends. I don’t wanna leave you. Makoto… I don’t wanna go._

“Akira.” She said. “I thought of what you told me, back when we rescued Futaba. About your watch, what it meant to you. I thought it would just be right to replace it, but thinking on it now, I truly don’t presume to replace the bond with your parents. I really don’t. But if losing your old watch felt like you were losing that bond, let this one be a reminder that you are loved. By your friends, your parents, and me.”

“I’m never taking it off, Makoto. No matter what happens.” If only for a moment, the mask cracked ever so slightly. A touch of heartbreak slipped through his words.

“Akira?”

“Let’s not…” The words escaped his lips like a reflex. Akira then kissed her on the cheek, hoping that the feeling would last him for however long he was away. “I love it, Makoto. Thank you so much.”

The young woman’s face was completely red. From the way her heart was beating, it was a miracle that she kept her breath steady. Her usual sense urged her to look away, to find refuge in some random detail in the room. But she simply could not look away from the dark of his eyes. She also could not muffle the voice inside of her, calling for her to be brave, and have what she wanted.

“Happy belated birthday, Akira. May all your days be full of joy and wonder.”

She pressed her lips against his. Their breaths soon became one and the same. And nothing else mattered; neither the unnoticed cake they bought earlier, nor the future ahead. The hours would pass, as ordained by the movement of hands overlapping. And with it, the terrible judgement Akira was still to face to protect those he cared for. But even the bitterness of the tears to fall would feel pale and insipid next to the sweetness of the present.

[ ]

The months passed them with a wide distance in-between. But despite the inconveniences, big and small, Akira and Makoto remained together. Every other day, the two would ‘meet’ through video calls, long into the night. Those hours often kept them afloat, as they faced the challenges of daily life, which proved no less daunting than their work as Phantom Thieves. Eventually, as summer rolled by, their plan for all to get together on a road trip across Japan came within reach.

And with it, the prospect of being together once again.

Akira and Makoto were both aware of the small, gradual changes each had undergone throughout the year. Nonetheless, meeting again in the flesh was still an overwhelming sensation on its own; it involved surprise, curiosity and attraction. So every now and then, one glimpse would have them staring instead. That is how Makoto noticed a few things. That Akira had repurposed his old watch into a keychain, and that he continued to wear the wristwatch she gave him on that bittersweet Christmas date. From the way his hand rested on the steering wheel, she could see little signs of wear and tear.

That present turned out to have been as faithful a companion as she hoped. Just like it had been for her, during those strange, dark days. The though itself got a bashful smile out of her, which she tried to hide whenever her friends teased her about it. And as usual, Akira had a way to tease her without saying a word. That was fine, Makoto thought. Later on, they would have some time for themselves.

[ ]

Dusk hung over the group, parked in a secluded spot at the side of the road. Everyone was gathered around the fire, exchanging stories and snacks, while “Mum and dad” looked over them on top of the vehicle. The evening chill served a good reason to huddle together while looking at the waning moon coming into view. 

“You’re still wearing that wristwatch.” Makoto said.

“Of course. You sound surprised, though.” Akira smirked.

“I am, a little? It makes sense that you would. It’s just that… it means a lot to me. Thank you.”

“No, thank you.” Akira leaned his head on her shoulder for a change. “This was just as you hoped. A reminder, even on my bleakest days. That I am cherished, and loved. And my days have indeed been filled with joy and wonder, even if the road gets hard to travel sometimes. But, do you wanna hear something a little silly?”

“Sure.” Her smile was somehow audible in the way she spoke. 

“You see. I always end up feeling some attachment to things. That’s why I try not to keep too many. But just like my old watch, this one ended up feeling like a memento of a bond. Whenever I notice it around my wrist, it feels like my family is walking at my side. Not just my parents, but everyone I knew on that strange year in Tokyo. Above all, I feel my partner, right at my side.”

“I see…” A lone, warm tear slid down Makoto’s face. “Well, they do call us ‘mum and dad’, don’t they?”

“Yes they do, honey.” 

The hands on the clock signalled 8:40 PM. So much was still unwritten about the future. But it was only a matter of time till one asked the other a very peculiar question. Minutes, hours, days – it mattered little. The answer was already written on their hearts.


End file.
